Analysis of regional development and externally funded research projects in higher education: a continuum of multiple case study analysis

Abstract

There are three tasks for Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS): education, research and development (R%D), and regional development. The focus of this analysis is on student-centred R%D which actualised R%D and regional development, and shared the regional-national R%D capabilities, interests and agenda in the collaboration of higher education, regional innovation systems and living labs. The study is a multiple case study analysis of R%D regarding the externally funded R%D projects at Laurea UAS between 2008 and 2011. The analysis includes data of R%D projects that develop academic knowledge, competences and regional-national capabilities for all networked participants by contributing to R%D in real-life and living lab contexts. The research domain comprises the collaborative networks, partnership of higher education, and mutual interactions and retentions of industry, service sector and higher education. The contribution of study includes extended analysis, concept of value concentration and framework of research continuum in perspective of regional development.